Ron Farnsworth, EVP and CFO for Umpqua Holdings and its subsidiaries, Umpqua Bank and Umpqua Investments, was named CFO of the Year in the public company category by the Portland Business Journal .

“Ron combines a deep understanding of the banking industry’s financial, regulatory and business environment with the rare ability to lead and inspire those around him,” said Ray Davis, president and CEO of Umpqua Bank. “2014 was a transformational year for Umpqua, and one in which Ron played a pivotal role in our success. Under his leadership, we successfully completed the largest bank acquisition in Oregon history and became the West Coast’s largest community bank — while continuing to be recognized as one of the country’s strongest financial institutions. I could not be more pleased to see Ron receive this award.”

“Ron combines a deep understanding of the banking industry’s financial, regulatory and business environment with the rare ability to lead and inspire those around him,” said Ray Davis, president and CEO of Umpqua Bank. “2014 was a transformational year for Umpqua, and one in which Ron played a pivotal role in our success. Under his leadership, we successfully completed the largest bank acquisition in Oregon history and became the West Coast’s largest community bank — while continuing to be recognized as one of the country’s strongest financial institutions. I could not be more pleased to see Ron receive this award.”

As CFO, Farnsworth oversees all aspects of Umpqua’s financial and fiscal operations as well as the company’s technology division. Farnsworth was promoted to the position of CFO in 2008. Under his leadership, Umpqua emerged from the Great Recession with a balance sheet even stronger than it was before the crisis began.

Farnsworth was instrumental in Umpqua’s 2014 acquisition of Sterling Financial, which doubled the company’s size and footprint to approximately $23 billion in assets, $15 billion in loans and $16 billion in deposits, with more than 4,500 associates and 350 stores across five states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California and Nevada.
The CFO of the Year Awards is an annual event hosted by Portland Business Journal to recognize the region’s top financial stewards.